Through the exchange of letters and artwork, Catholic School children in the Holy Land and the United States are becoming friends. Pen Pals for Peace is the brain child of Frank Lalley and Mel Lehman of New York City.

In December, Mr. Lalley personally delivered Christmas cards to children at Terra Santa, a boys school in Bethlehem, and St. Josephs, a girls school in Jerusalem, made by students at Holy Name, St. Gregory the Great and Corpus Christi elementary schools in Manhattan.

Teachers at the schools match ages and grades of the children, who swap stories about home, school and hobbies. The men would like to expand the program to include Jewish and Muslim students and eventually recruit pen pals in Iraq. The program is co-sponsored by Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York and Catholic Relief Services, with assistance from CNEWA.